Mass-produced wooden pencils are cheap and may readily be sharpened by simple pencil sharpeners. Such pencils are generally round or hexagonal in section and for the most part are manufactured to a standard size for whichever of these shapes.
When a pencil is sharpened, the length is shortened, and continuing sharpening may result in the pencil becoming too short to comfortably hold for use. Some people are unable to use a pencil so compromised, and others will avoid the use of them, or discard them before their time.